Crib sleeping update

Some of you may be wondering how the crib sleeping has been going since I expressed my anxiety last week. Well, we're still going strong and the whole thing is starting to feel "normal" to Mommy.

Go figure, McKenna could give a crap about being in there versus our room.... she sleeps the same, if not better than when she was in the pack n' play in our room.

My guess about her sleeping heavier in the crib was wayyy off. We actually watch this moving monster do 360s on a regular basis... she even did a full 360 within 20-30 minutes of putting her down a couple of nights back.  She flails and flops around, which is why we have absolutely NOTHING in the crib with her.  She'll end up on the complete other side of the crib with her head facing the other direction. Watching the video monitor has become more entertaining than our nightly television selection.

And we've found out that she's a pretty good self-soother.

Is this not creepy or what???  The last 2 nights we've put her down and she ultimately woke up within minutes and stirred for AT LEAST 30 minutes wide awake.  The night of this picture she stared, blinking, and moving around for ONE HOUR!  And there was not a single peep out of her. She just laid in there wide awake, looking into darkness. Of course knowing that she is in a good mood and awake just makes me want to go in and cuddle with her LOL, but I refrained.

We're so happy with how well she (and I) have transitioned.  And I'm hoping that our newfound knowledge of her self-soothing will help us through the upcoming "4 month sleep regression" everyone warns about.  They also haven't met this log of a sleeper.  Her 4 month birthday is rapidly approaching (AKA Sunday!) so we'll see if her sleeping pattern changes at all.

Memorial Day Weekend

Kevin had a baseball tournament he had to coach most of the holiday weekend, but luckily they lost (I didn't say that!!!), and he didn't have any games on Memorial Day Monday.

We decided this would be a perfect day for McKenna's first time in the pool.  But first we took the trek to our closest Babies R Us to return a few baby items, pick out her high chair, and buy her floatie!!

Snapped a couple of pics right after naptime, hence the red ridges in her face!



This little munchkin was so ready for the pool, she hung out inside in her bathing suit just jammin' to a little music while Daddy did a Publix run.

She absolutely loved it!! We knew she would since she loves bathtime with Mommy so much. She strikes the laid-back, gangsta-lean pose. Then again, she's pretty chill with whatever.

 

And we love the floatie. Under $25 at BRU (I already tossed out the box, so I don't have anymore information on it lol). Though, the float pictured was a red & blue one so we didn't know we'd have pink until we got home.... I'd recommend peaking in the box before you leave the store! The shade has SPF 50, though you still want to be cognizant of sun reflecting off of the water, even if it's cloudy. It also said it was for 6-12 months, but she fit fine in it with close supervision ;-).

 

 

It was a nice 20-30 minute swim. Kevin and I seem to do the Raindance every time we get in the pool. Next time you want it to rain in Southwest Florida, just ask us to get in our pool!! I have a feeling pool time we become a regular activity around here.

Mommy Milestone: first night in the crib

I had put this night off for weeks. I was dreading it. The nursery was just so far away! I was so happy a few weeks back when our video monitor broke and meant we had to wait for our new one to arrive. I definitely wasn't prepared even though I knew she was ready. I knew the sooner we did it the easier it would be. For me, and for her. I also am aware that we may experience the 4 month sleep regression soon and didn't want the two intermingling. 

You see, this little lady sleeps like a log. No joke. She doesn't care where she's sleeping or what she's sleeping on, and she'll sleep through anything. Getting her down takes some time a couple nights a week, but it's too infrequent to consider an issue. I think it's mainly due to being overly tired. Many nights we even put her down awake with no issues. So I knew this transition would be more difficult for me than for her! 

We set up her nursery the same way we had set up out room for her. Sleepy Sheep, projector, nightlight, and air purifier. Our bedtime routine remained the same. And so did putting her down, which happened around 8:45-9:00.

I think we just lucked out it was one of those night she didn't wake soon after being put down to be soothed.

So I watched. And watched. And watched. And watched..... you get the idea. I crept in there every once in a while to feel her chest, not sure why it was any different than when she was in our room. I tried to distract myself with a re-run of The Bachelorette, but I was focused on that monitor screen. Eventually I dosed off. Even with the monitor at my bedside I went in to check on her a few times throughout the night, and she was sound asleep. 

I was up earlier than usual around 6:30 and just had to grab her to bring her to bed. I was so proud of her and myself! In all honesty, I think she slept much better in there, less thrashing and movement than in the pack n' play. These pictures are very poor quality, but just an idea of how I would find her asleep in the pack n play. 

Sideways, completely flipped, head bumped against the top, face planted against the side, you name it. She was ready for comfier quarters. 

So we made it through the first night... though I hear it's still difficult for about the first week. A little part of me is sad that she didn't "need" me. But I guess this is just part of being a Mommy and watching your baby grow up and become more independent. 

Morning tummy sleeping

This isn't typical behavior for her, but I sit here this morning, and my exclusive task is watching her back move up and down!!  WHO DOES THIS??? WHO SLEEPS LIKE THIS??

Who sleeps not only on their tummy, but also with their face planted in the mattress? I mean, she's breathing ok, but really?? Mommy heart attack!

She sleeps on her left side a lot during the night, so when she fell asleep nursing this morning on her side I didn't think anything of it. Then she slowly creeped to her belly and has been stationed there for a good 45 minutes now. 

And she has repositioned herself back to face planting position several times. What a weirdo!! I'm waiting for her to wake up in a fit because she hates being flat on her belly lol. 

I do NOT recommend the burp cloth being left with baby since it is a suffocating hazard (we need it underneath us to nurse side-lying), but as I mentioned I am on watch duty!! lol

I will add that yes, it is recommended to put a baby on their back to sleep. But the guideline also states if they find a way to their belly to let them sleep; they clearly have strength to get to their belly. So, I will take this as an opportunity to sit back and watch my baby sleep. 

10-minute later update: as anticipated, she woke up in a blur. 

The look in this picture says "I have no idea where I am at yet." 

She quickly proceeded to huff and puff because she did NOT want to be on her belly. To which I needed to guide her to roll onto her back, and voila!, usual happy morning baby!

McKenna's first trip to Walt Disney World part 2

We wore her most of the time in the park and used our stroller as our wagon for STUFF. Here's Kevin and McKenna enjoying some Chubby Checker for the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival.

The stuff we brought with us to the park included her diaper bag (extra loaded down with the typical necessities), our camera bag, a cooler (of "drinks"), and our carriers. What made this trip particularly tough was that we still needed her carseat in addition to her stroller because she doesn't sit upright yet. That made us "those people" on the bus who had a seat occupied of just the carseat while others stood... I got a lot of stares for that one. Luckily by the time we go again we won't need the carseat.

Our only major snaffu was leaving Epcot on Saturday night around 8:30, when the bus stops are usually super crowded. She was sleeping so we weren't worried.... unfortunately she woke up half way through the bus ride and started wailing into Kevin's chest (she was in the Tula carrier).  So again, we were "those people" with the crying baby on the bus (no she does not take a paci!).  We were thinking she was hungry, but she was just tired or ready to stretch out because when we got back to the resort she was in a happy, playful mood.

I think wearing most of the trip her helped a lot because she slept most of the time, and she feels safe in new environments.  The one drawback... HEAT. But I'll take that any day over a fussy baby! Even Kevin got into the Babywearing.

The key with babies and Sun/Heat is Hydration, hydration, hydration. If you nurse, that means nursing often, which also means Momma needs to stay hydrated. And make sure to find places to take breaks in the A/C...so shop often ;-). And go back to your resort and get refreshed at least once (depending on how many parks you attempt to go to in a day). Though I think the mid-day "Nap Time" was more for Daddy, as I played with a happy baby the whole time.

Another important thing to know about is Disney's Baby Care Centers....  I was petrified for my first time changing in a "public bathroom" but didn't have to succumb to it. Each park has a Baby Care Center where you can change and feed and pretty much do whatever you need to do with your babies, kids, and toddlers. There's even a kitchen area and separate bathroom. Best part.... a nursing room. Ahhh, cold, dark, and quiet with rocking chairs. Sure, if you gotta nurse in the park you gotta nurse, but why turn down a break away from it all. Nothing better on an excruciatingly hot day without needing to bump into strangers in a packed store just to get some A/C. As a side note there are outlets in there so if your phone needs some charging take it in with you ;-) (not sure if that's what they're intended for, so don't blame me!) I'm not big into "nursing selfies" but this one is a must.... a peek inside the hidden room!

If you don't know where to find it, be sure to ask.  I passed the nursing room several times in both Magic Kingdom and Epcot!

We did get lots of comments about my wraps and several stares, most positive, but some negative. Someone even had the audacity to say in our earshot "I've never understood why anyone would bring a baby that age to Disney."  Well, you don't need to understand, and you most likely never will.  Disney means a lot to Kevin and I, and has play a integral part in every stage of our relationship.  This trip was just another part of that adventure, and one that we will remember forever BECAUSE McKenna is "this age." No one else really needs to understand. But I can tell you it is possible, and it can be enjoyable if you plan right! 

I think the hardest part about the WHOLE weekend was getting home.  Just as packing was no fun, unpacking was a mess, and the amount of laundry with a baby is just ridiculous!

A portion of packing

Getting a VERY TIRED baby to sleep the night we got home was no fun either. She wanted her bedtime several hours before it normally was so we were at odds trying to make it all work out. But eventually she got to sleep and slept a good 12 hours! McKenna sure knows how to end a weekend!

Overall, it was a wonderful weekend and we were so happy we had the chance to take her! Granted she won't remember this trip, but we will, and she will have the pictures for a lifetime!


If I think of anything else that I would find helpful to know about planning a trip to Disney I will definitely write another post OR if you have specific questions, feel free to ask!!

McKenna's first trip to Walt Disney World part 1

What an incredible experience!  I won't do a full-on trip report or play-by-play of our couple of days, but I will definitely share what it was like to take a 3 month old baby to The Happiest Place on Earth!

I think Kevin and I were honestly just blessed with a laid-back baby (knock on wood), and I honestly think that played a significant part in our experience, but this trip wasn't much different than others for us, minus the rides (and over-indulgence of alcohol). We enjoy Disney for the way it makes us feel, so doing things isn't always our top priority. And that's exactly what I would tell someone taking a baby for the first time... don't have any expectations or expect to be able to accomplish anything. Our one goal for this weekend was to get pictures... and lots of them. And that's exactly what we did.

She may not know who they are, but she LOVED staring at the characters! And they all loved her too! Each one spent so much time with her. Touching her feet, letting her grab their fingers, giving her *kisses*. These pictures are priceless to Kevin and I. And hopefully if McKenna likes Disney HALF as much as her Mommy and Daddy, they will be priceless to her too.  I'm so happy we will have these to share with her one day when she is older.

Three words: PLAN PLAN PLAN. The biggest hassle: I would have to easily say just STUFF.  Packing and planning for a trip with a baby is no small task. (I have a pretty thorough packing list I will blog about another day). And we saw that with our trip to Jacksonville a couple weeks back, but for a theme park is even different. Not just for the entire trip is packing a pretty big feat, but also staying in a hotel room and planning to spend several hours out in the sun.... away from all of your STUFF.

SUN! That was my greatest fear! How to keep our baby protected. McKenna's Ped was no help, a huge contradiction: "we don't recommend sunscreen before 6 months, but if she's in the sun we recommend sunscreen. And No, we don't recommend brands. They're all the same." Wow. What a crock of garbage. We're considering a new Ped after that phone call (which, by the way, was the nurse on the phone not the doctor). So I elected to rethink her wardrobe and bypass the sunscreen altogether. All of her litle dresses I had planned for her to wear I ended up sticking leggings and socks under them with a big brim hat with her headbands on her head. She barely got touched by sun the entire weekend except for the last day when we wanted to get a picture in front of the castle..... but we booked it out of the park immediately after.

Post-Partum Mommy

There have been A LOT of changes since this little one arrived.  I would say that I have been lucky my body bounced back rather quickly, though I definitely think breastfeeding has helped that process... You can burn between 300-500 calories a day breastfeeding!

First off, I want to shout to the rooftops.... I have been jogging a little bit and it feels fantastic! While I exercised through the last month of pregnancy, Doc asked me to stop running in November due to some pains I was having in my abdomen. So it was almost 4.5 months since I last ran.

My stamina is nonexistent, but jogging feels good nonetheless.  I feel so bouncy, lol, likely because I had a bit of extra weight on me for quite some time. And the ladies are a tad over-ambitious, I'll have to figure out how to secure them a bit better as my running gets a little better!

The rest of me started feeling like a normal human being around 4 weeks. Sorta. 

It took my belly button several weeks to decide it wanted to be an innie again. And the Linea Nigra (the line dark line that appears down the center of a pregnant woman's belly) has just NOW started to disappear. Who knows how long it will take to completely disappear. 

I'm also experiencing some severe post-partum hair loss... globs of hair in the shower drain, something that was nice to not have during pregnancy. I can't tell you how much hair I am losing, it is ridiculous! I really hope I don't actually start to look bald! 

This is after almost every shower... In addition to all I lose in the shower!! Ugh!

But I think the little one is having some sympathy hair loss.... it's thinning on both sides of her head, of all places! It's not like she rubbing that like she would the back. 

So that's why I attribute it to sympathy hair loss ;-). 

And while I am lucky my body shrank rather quickly, everything still seems "soft".  My belly, legs, hips, they are cushy and smooshy now, not toned like they used to be. I'm sure that more has to do with me starting some weight-training, but I don't see that happening any time soon. I'll enjoy my mommier-figure :-). I was also lucky enough to avoid stretch marks, any that I can see anyway. And I'd like to keep it that way!

Emotionally, it took a long time to feel like myself again. And saying myself, I feel like a better version of myself because of my completely different perception on life.  I honestly didn't think I was going to survive during the first month or so, I had the post-partum blues some kind of serious. Our struggle to breastfeed played a large factor in that. Looking back though it seems so far away and every moment completely worth it, squeezable belly and all! 

All Smiles Tummy Time

McKenna is Miss Alert now.  While she seems to sleep more than the average baby (give her a good 8-10 hours of uninterrupted sleep a night), when she's awake, she's really awake.

We try to spend as much of her awake time on her belly as we can (due to the flat spot I mentioned before).  Unfortunately she still HATES lying flat on her tummy, but when I prop her up on the Boppy or a pillow she could hang out there smirking at her toys for a good 25-30 minutes straight.  She's been entertained by things that we put in front of her too.

Being a Baby is Tough Work.

Must have: NoseFrida

We just got back from Disney and I will definitely write about our experience as soon as I can. In the meantime I'm nursing and have a few minutes for a quick review.

If you have a nose bulb as part of your regimen to unclogged snotty, stuffy noses, I highly recommend getting rid of it. NOW! If you care to know why I say this, google "nose bulb mold" or something similar. Even when you "wash" the bulb, moisture remains trapped in there and grows mold. And you stick that thing up your baby's nose!! I didn't have the guts to cut my ours open when I got rid of it a couple months back, but I'm so happy we found a solution. 

This household now swears by the NoseFrida, The SnotSucker. Granted, there will be just as many people grossed out by the idea of this than the bulb, but I promise you it is sanitary! And machine washable!

Basically how this product works is you vacuum snot out of your baby's nose with your own breath. The tube is long and there is a "filter," but snot gets NOWHERE near even the back of the plastic portion, let alone the tube. 

And let me tell you how efficient this thing is. The amount of snot that you can get out of a little nostril is just crazy! I will spare you any action shots. But YouTube it if you dare. That's actually what sold me on it. 

McKenna gets a clogged nose pretty frequently because her overeating causes her to bring her milk back up often.  She is NOT a fan of it, but she feels so much better once we've unclogged that little nose. 

Here's a link to the website: http://www.fridababy.com/shop/nosefrida/
Do yourself a favor and at least check it out. I got ours at Target for $15.

Reading time and Raspberries

We've added a reading time into the afternoon (in addition to her bedtime book, which sometimes gets bypassed for boob). Here's evening reading time with daddy a few weeks back. 

It is incredible to watch her process information during reading time. While I know she doesn't understand what I'm saying, she is clearly learning and taking it all in. In the last 30 minutes of reading she has blown more raspberries than I have ever heard out of her and cooing up a storm.

She also looks back and forth from the colorful pictures in the book to my mouth reading.

 But let's face it, by the look she gives me, my reading voices are that of a whack job. And nevermind the random burst into song to our background music (yes, "Let It Go" came on and I couldn't resist).

It's just so incredible to actually watch your baby growing in real time. Every flip of the page is something new and exciting to her. And while the weight of developing a little human being is unfathomable, to know that I play such a critical role is such a blessing.